Method of amplifying electric currents.



L W. SOUTHGATE.

METHOD OF AMPLIFYING ELECTRIC CURRENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY :0 mos. RENEWED OCT.14,1D10.

992,8 1 7. Patented May 23. 1911.

a jgaq & -fi'2 LBS" A .& SN'A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS W. SOUTHGATE, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

METHOD OF AMPLIFYING ELECTRIC CURRENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1911.

Application filed July 10, 1908, Serial No. 442,852. Renewed October 14, 1910. Serial No. 587,120.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS W. SOUTIIGATE, a citizen of the United States, residing at- Vorcestcr. in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Method of Amplifying Electric Currents, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved method of generating electricity by power which shall overcome the difiiculties of current commutation and collection.

The invention is particularly directed to the production of an electric generator which shall have neither a commutator nor a collector, whereby the same is particularly adapted for use as a relay in telephone work, telegraph work, wireless telegraphy and in that class of musical instruments like telharmoniums employing electric undulations.

It has heretofore been proposed to use an electric generator for a telephone relay by connecting the generating current to the field and by attempting to utilize the current induced in the armature as the generated current. In this application or use of an electric generator it is necessary to use a direct current generator so that the currentgenerated in the armature will have the characteristics ofthe generating current applied to the field. The ordinary type of direct current generator employs a commutator for the purpose of commutating or rectifying the currents created in the armature coils and this commutation or rectification of the currents leads to a vibration or pulsation of the generated current and to other well known commutator troubles which interfere with current amplification and which introduce factors of error. It has also been proposed to use a unipolar or homopolar generator for the purpose of relaying or amplification but the unipolar or homopolar generator necessarily employs collectors either rings and brushes or mercury cups and these collectors bring in errors and microphonic action which interfere with the use of. this type of generator for the purposes stated. I have discovered that these difiiculties can be overcome by using the well known rotary field effect produced by a varyingcurrent. generator. such as an alternator or pulsator, by leading or directing the lines of force of the magnetic ficld into inductive relation with a stationary coil or coils. and by physically or mechanically moving or rotating a member or the members forming a part or controlling the position of the magnetic field, so that the lines of force of the magnetic field as they act on the stationary coil or coils will have a stationary relation therewith; whereby the moving or rotating magnetic field will act as the primary, and said stationary coil or coils will act as the secondary of a stationary transformer or induction coil. This new method may be practiced with many forms of generators and rotary fields, and I have shown in the drawings the same practiced with a simple two-phase alternator, and with an ordinary ring arrangement of the coils in which the rotary magnetic field is created, which ring is connected to rotate physically or mechanically in opposition to the mag netic rotation of the rotary field. The armature of the alternating currentgenerator is preferably connected to turn with or to formone rotating member with the said mechanically rotating field whereby the connec- 'tions between the said armature and said field are permanent and do not involve the use of collectors. By this principle. if a constant direct current be applied to the field of the alternating current generator the'lines of force in the rotary field will re main constant and stationary in space and no current will be induced in the stationary secondary of the transformer. But. now if the field of the alternating current generator be changed as by introducing a varying current. the current generated in the armature of the alternating current generator, will be correspondingly varied and hence the lines of force in said rotary field will also be varied, whereby the current changes in the field of the alternating current. generator will be reproduced in the secondary of the transformer. As the current generated in the armature may be made many times larger than the current in the field of the generator, the rotating field may be made much more powerful than the field of the alternating current generator and as the transformer can be made to take most of the energy of these changes, an amplification is obtained which will preserve the characteristics of the generating current and the apparatus will not have any of the evils or.

errors of commutation or collection of current.

A full understanding of the invention can be had from the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure l is a sectional elevation of an apparatus empirically arranged to practice the invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the generator. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the rotating field. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the secondary of the transformer. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the phase arrangement employed in the generator. Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, are diagrams illustrating the operation, and Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the application of the device to a telephone circuit.

Referring to the drawing and in detail, D represents an alternating current generator having a bipolar field which is energized by a circuit 10-10. Rotating in this field are two coils a e and bb. These coils are shown in the drawings as simple loops for the purpose of explanation but in operation they are made of a number of windings 0r loops as in the ordinary armature practice so that the current generated by the rotation of the armature will be much larger than the current in the field. These coils are set at rightangles or at degrees to each other so that the usual 90 degree twophase relation will be obtained as indicated in Fig. 5.

11 designates the shaft which carries the armature coils, Which shaft may have a pulley 12 on the end thereof to which power may be applied and which shaft may run in bearings 13-13. Secured on the end of the shaft 11 is a disk 14 of non-magnetic material on which are secured circumferentially, four coils AA and- BB which coils are arranged in the manner common in alternating current motors wherein the rotary field principle is utilized. The coils A -A. are oppositely wound and are connected together by a cross wire and the armature coils aa are connected to the other end of the coils AA. The coils BB are oppositely wound and are connected together by a cross wire and the armature coils Z)Z) are connected to the other ends of the coils BB. The connections between the armature coils aa and bZ) and the coils A-A and B--B may be arranged inside of the shaft 11 and therefore form permanent con nections which rotate with the armature and rotary field. The field comprised by the coils AA and BB is arranged to form the primary of a transformer, the secondary of which is formed by a stationary coil 0 arranged inside of the rotary field. The stationary coil C is designated in Fig. 4 by a single loop but in practice the same Will be made of as many convolutions or turns as desired. The secondary C is connected to wires 15-15 which form part of the circuit in which the generated current is oeaen utilized. By the above construction it will be seen that the field of the transformer will turn with the armature of the alternating current generator. The relation of the windings of the coils A A and of the coils 13-13 is such that the rotating magnetic lield will turn or rotate in oppo ition to the mechanical or physical rotation of the field. whereby the lines of force in the field or primary of the transformer will stand stationary in space.

The operation is represented diagram matically for a half revolution in Figs. (3 to 9, inclusive. In Fig. 6 coil aa is at its maximum and coil b?) is at its minimum. Therefore, there will be created between the field coils a field of force which will be sub stantially horizontal as indicated at the right hand side in Fig. 6. Nowsuppose the armature turns 45 degrees or one-eighth of a revolution in the direction indicated by the arrow and to the position shown in Fig. 7. The current now generated in the coils aa will be less and a current will be generated in the'coils b-b which will energize the coils BB of the field. This will cause a shifting of the lines of force in the field to the resultant position obtained by the action of both sets of coils Az\ and BB and the coils are Wound as previously described so that this shifting will take place in opposition to the armature rotation. This will cause the shifting of the lines of force fortyfive degrees in one direction around the coilswbut as the coils mechanically turn 45 the coils aa will fall to the minimum and hence the lines of force will rotate magnetically in the coils 45 degrees in opposition to the mechanical rotation thereof, but as the mechanical rotation equals the -magnetie rotation, the lines of force will remain stationary, as indicated at the right in Fig. 8. During the next eighth revolution or 45 degrees turn of the armature coils, a current will be generated in the coils aa but in the opposite direction to that previously described and the current will fall in the coils Z)7). This will cause a further magnetic shifting of the lines of force of the field 45 degrees in opposition to the mechanical rotation of the coils and as the mechanical rotation is equal in opposition to the magnetic rotation, the lines of force will continue stationary.

The action previously described for a half revolution will be repeated for the next half revolution of the armature in the opposite direction but Without displacement of the position of the lines of force in the field in .euit 1t)l0 and therefore in the field of .the

space. Therefore, the result of this opposite magnetic and'niccliaiiical rotation of'the field will be tokcep the rotary field stationary in space and as the rise and fall of the current in the two sets of coils is relative] v opposite, there will be no change in the-intensity of said field. Therefore, so long'as there is a constant direct current in tliecir alternating currentgenerator. there will he no change in the position'oi" in the intensity of the. lines of force in the field of tlie transformer. The current in the field of the transformer will he as much more powerful than the current in the tieldof the alteriiating current generator as the generator rela-' tion between the said field of the alternating current generator and its armatureprod uecs, whereby the strength of the fieldin the transformer can be made many times the strength'of the field in the alternating current generator. Now, if the current which is impressed upon the circuit- -10-10 be varied either in intensity or in direction, thelines of force in the rotary field will becorrespondingly varied and when this takes placea current will be induced inthe sccondaryt? which will follow the characteristics of the current variation intlie generating circuit 10-10. Hence any current change either in" intensity or indirection int-lie generating circuit l0l0'will be truthfully followed in the secondary C- of the transformer with. in-

creased power. Hence the 'creation'of any current variation in circuit: 10-lO"will-be truthfully amplified in circuit 15-'l5 andthis action will take place WlthOLll'iCOIi'llIlLb;

tation and collection of the 'curreiitas the action is entirely electrical and as all connections are permanent. If a source of electric ity as a battery be introduced in the circuit 10l0 and'if a telephone transmitter T beinterposed therein-as shown in Fi 10, a

receiver R can be interposed in the circuit:- l515 and the current changes givenby the transmitter can be amplified for use in the receiver R.

The device is eminently fitted for amplification in connection with varyin currents such as are used in telephone worfr, wireless: telegraphy and other uses hereinb'eforc 'speci-" fied.- I

I have shown for illustration the invention as applied to a simple two-phase alternating current generator but in practice I prefer to use many more than two coilsiin the armature and properly connect-the coils to the ro-- The device herein shown and described may be, greatly varied 'hyaskilled electrician without-departing.l'rom the scope of the invention-as expressed in the claims.

' .llaving thus fully described my invention, what- =l claim and. desire to secure byLetl. The method of amplifying electric curl't'litfi," \\'lillfll? CO'liShiS in utilizing the gen- Lliltlllg' current to vary the held of a varying currentgeneraior, utilizing the current'generated' mthe armature thereof to create a moving magnetic field, leading or directing ihehues oi iorceof the magnetic field into inductiverelation with a stationary coil or .coils. and mechanically or physically moving a member or the members forming at )art or cont roll ing the position of the magnetic field,

so *that the lines of force of the .niagiietic held as the" act on the stationary ,COll or coils will have a stationary relation there- .Wllli, .ivl erehy the moving magnetic field will actaslhepriniary, and the stationary coil or-coils will actas the secondary of a --statiouar transformer or induction coil.

iL'The method-of amplifying electric currentg nliicli consists in utilizing the generating"current-to vary the field of a varying currentgenerator, utilizing the; current generated inthe armature thereof to create a rotatinginagnetio field, leading or direct- ,ing tlie lines of force of the magnetic field .into' inductive IQltltlOIi; with a stationary coil or coils, and. mechanically or physically rotating'a member or the members forming apart oncontrolhng the position of themag- 'net-ic field,';so-thatthe lines of force of the magnetic -fieldas :tlieyv act on .the stationary coil -or coils' will; {have to stationary relation therewith," :whereby the rotating inagnetic field will act as the primary, and the stationary coil or coils will act as the secondary 'of 'a stat1onarytransformer or induction coil; 4 v

3.: The method of amplifying electric cur- 'rent's, whiclr consists in utilizing the generat- -ing=currentto-varythe field of a varying current generator, utilizing the. current generated':inf-the :armaturelthereof to create a -rotatingmag'netic field iii a series of coils, -leadingqoralirecting.the lines of force of thei magnetid'fidd into inductive relation with a stationary coil-or .coils, and mechanically or physically rotating the series of coils 'so thatthe lines of force of the magneticifieldas they acton the stationary coil .or'coils will have a stationary relation therewith, whereby the rotating magnetic field twillactas the primary, and. the stationary coil or. coils --as the secondary of a stationary transformer or; nduction coil. 1

4.- The-lmethod of amplifying electric cur rents, which consists in utilizing the generatmg current to vary the field of a varying current generator, utilizing the current generated in the armature of said generator to create a rotating lnagneticfield, physically rotating a member or the members of the magnetic field in opposition to its magnetic rotation, and impressing the lines of force of said rotary field to induce a current in a stationary secondary.

5. The method of amplifying electric currents, which consists in applying the gener- 10 ating current to the field of a polyphase alternating current generator, utilizing the currents generated in the armature of said generator to create a rotating magnetic field, physically rotating the coils of said field in opposition to its magnetic rotation so that the lines of force thereof will stand stationary in space, and utilizing said lines of force to energize the secondary of atranst'or-mer, the primary of which is formed by said rotating field.

6. The method of amplifying electric purrents, which consists in applying the generating current to the field of a polyphase alternating current generator, utilizing the currents generated inthe armature of said generator to create a rotating. magnetic field, the coils of which are connected to rotate with said armatureand which coils are connected to said armature by permanent electrical connections-,=j the physical rotation I of the coils of said field being inf'opposi'tion to its magnetic rotation, whereby the: lines j of force thereof willstand stationary in space, and applying said rotary-field asgtheprimary of a". transformer, thesecondary of tationary and co'nnectedt'o -the c1rcu1t I I the mature ld ".w ll

ranged in i nd ing magnfeti cally orph'ysica y members forn'ting a-pa position of the agne I he' anaguetio qntr 'olli' i h lines of. force F035 I act on the stationaryf e a stationaryrelationtherem has 8; The combination-of 'a' arying current generator, coils connected to the armature thereof so that a rotating'magnetic field will be created, a stationary coil or coils arranged in inductive relation with said ro-.

tating magnetic field, and means for mechanically or physically rotating a member 6 or the members forming'a part or controlling the position of the magnetic field, so that ry-mg, urrenta field; as they oils will :ehave the lines of. force of the magnetic field as they act on the stationary coil or coils will have a stationary relation therewith.

9. The combination of a polyphase alternating current generator, coils connected to the armature thereof so that a rotatingmagneticfield will be created, meansv or rotating-the coils mechanically in opposition to the magnetic rotation ofthe field, and a coil arranged adjacent to said rotary field so that thesaid rotary field and said coil will form a transformer.

I 10. The combination of a polyphase' alternating current generator, having an electromagnetic field to which the generating circuit is connected, a series of circumferentially arranged coils connected to turn with the armatureof the generator andelectricallyconnected to the armature coils so that a rotating'magnetic field will be created in said coils, which field will rotate magnetically in opposition to the mechanical rotationjof'the coils, i h'e'reby' the lines of force of said field, will stand stationary in space,

and-acoil stationarily heldii'i said rotating field connected: to the circuit in, Which the generated current is to. be. employed.

.11. Clhe- -cOmbmat'mn ofageneratmgcircurt "polypha-sealternating"current gener- Q th i ft 'hieh s da n rt' i s connected," co ils connected to rotate rQtation ofc saidr coils;whereby the lines of --'force of said fi eld" will stand stationary in space,"aI secondary coil placed in said lines ated current to ,beehiployedconnected to said .sta ti onarily hfe ltl coil, whereby current iehaeg'esaiaafiaain a 'e will be amplified in the circuit-inwhich the .gener 'iated. currentgis to I be" employed. 12. The combination-of an alternating I current 'polyplia'sefgener'ator to the field of which ag'ene atiag; current is applied, a k-r atin sojfthatt the the armature of said gen- I II ur ,and electricallyconnected jto'tlieairmatui s net ic field will createdin said coils which will rotate,invopposition to the mechanical offorce, a-n' a 'oii cuit in which the gener- I eratoir, ,coils iarr'anged' circularly around said disk f permeated electrically to the .coils of the armature so that a rotating magnetic fieldwillbe produced which will rotate .in opposition to therotation of the disk, and a stationa'rily held coil placed in said field.

-' In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 'my han d,,i n"t he presence of two subscribing witnesses. v I I LOUI- S -W. SOUT'HGATE Witnesses? I E. MaALLnx, I G. Fomz'ns'r 'WEssoN. 

